VIA GABINA SITE 10: VILLA

Provisional Summary of G10/85 Pottery

July 25, 1985

Pottery Report – G 10/85

There was relatively little pottery excavated in 1985. About 100 pieces have been catalogued this season. Aside from the amphoras in the deposit described in detail below, few of these pieces are of particular interest per se. Again, in terms of the dating of phases of the site, little new information has appeared (as of July 25). An area by area summary of the dating evidence follows, with the more detailed summaries of the datable material in each layer (in no particular order) appended.

By far the most interesting find of the season was the pit AA 22 D (6), with its cache of 13 more or less complete amphoras (P8078-P8090). Nine of the amphoras are versions of Dressel 2-4 (closest to Dressel 2), a very common amphora form in Italy in the first and second centuries A.D. The fabrics of these amphoras are quite varied. The three which are stamped are in a somewhat sandy red orange coarse ware with a smoothed, unslipped surface (P8078-P8080). The other six amphoras are in six differentiable fabrics, all most probably Italian, however; that is, there is no reason to suspect a non-Italian origin.

The three stamped amphoras are a particularly important find (P8078-P8080). All three have rectangular two-line stamps on the upper neck. The stamps are similar in lettering (both form and size) and style (raised letters) to local Roman brick stamps of the first and second century A.D. The stamp readings are:

P8078 Ṛ /ẸLIPOLLI / VANVS

P8079 AMPLIATVS / CL ▿ CLADI ⇩

P8080 " "

A much less complete example of the first stamp ('Vanvs') was found in 1981 in BB 20 South Z (5) (P4103).

The interpretation of these names presents difficulties. So far I have not found them among names of officinatores of the figlina (brick and tile factories), but I have not investigated all of the available material, by any means. If this method does not turn up parallels, there are other prosopographical sources which can also be consulted.

Pottery Report – G10/85

It is important to note that stamps of this type have not, so far as I know, been reported or published before. They certainly have not been studied systematically. Because of their stylistic similarities to typical locally made (Via Sataria, etc.) brick stamps of the Flavian to Antonine period, I think it is practically certain that these stamped amphoras are locally made (the brick stamps refer to the factory production as ' opus doliare' and the factories themselves as ' figlina'; the implication is that they produce vessels as well as bricks and tiles).

Dressel's observations on dating of brick stamp lettering – namely that later (second half 2 A.D.) stamps have square letters with wedge-shaped arms, while earlier (Domitianic to Hadrianic) stamps have taller narrower letters – seem to imply that the two identical stamps of 'Ampliatus' belong to the second half of the second century A.D., while the stamps of 'Vanus' belong to the first half of the second century A.D.

Of the remaining four amphoras, an imitation of Pélichet 47, in a red orange coarse ware which has inclusions very similar to those in the Rome area 'Porta Pia' coarse ware fabric, and with a cream slip on the exterior (no doubt used to

a date most likely in the early third century A.D. Pélichet 47 is a Gaulish amphora, made in the area of Marseilles, and does not become an important export type until the late second century A.D. Counterfeit copies would not be expected before the type becomes well-known in Italian markets.

A second amphora in red orange coarse ware with cream slip, and also in a broad-shouldered form, although evidently not Pélichet 47, has a painted 'KO' on its shoulder (P8083).

The third of the remaining pieces is a base of Pélichet 47 in a cream green shattered plain ware fabric, possibly genuine but overfired. This amphora has had 5 holes cut by a pick(?) one in the bottom of its base and four around the lower wall. Such a reuse of small coarse ware pots is typical of the late second and early third century A.D. on this site and Site 11.

Pottery Report, G10/85

I have seen similar 'plant pots' both at San Giovanni di Ruoti and at Carthage, again in second century A.D. contexts. This is the first amphora I have seen treated in this way. I am uncertain about the purpose for this treatment of pots (P8086).

The last amphora in this deposit is a very large heavy globular amphora with a slightly pointed rounded base, coarsely made. The identification of this amphora is uncertain (P8089).

Other ceramic material found in this pit includes two rims of African Red Slip coarse ware 197 casserole; wall shards of lid form 196; a good example of the wide-mouthed jar with wide horizontal rim in local 'Porta Pia' coarse ware (G 1 A); three lids in the same coarse ware; wall shards of a pale cream plain ware globular pot with rounded ridges on the wall. All of these pieces are typical of G 10 destruction contexts and indicate, therefore, a date in the first half of the third century A.D.

All the shards in the pit were uniformly covered with grey ashy soil. However, after careful cleaning, first with water and then with a very dilute (c. 5%) solution of hydrochloric acid, none of the shards themselves show signs of burning.

The fact that these amphorae are very broken up, but that unrelated pieces are very few, and that while only three amphoras are complete or nearly so, that there are nevertheless few pieces which do not actually join to form one of the thirteen identifiable amphoras, suggests that thirteen amphoras in the immediately adjacent area were deliberately broken up and shoved in the pit as fill. (It is possible that the pit was made by the robbing-out of a dolium.) It seems very likely to me that all these amphoras had been recently in use at the time of the destruction of the site but were already broken and therefore not worth removing.

The deposit is important because of the number of associated amphoras, their general consistency of date, their good state of preservation, their provenance from a working villa, the certainty of the date of the deposit, and for the stamps, which are possibly unique and certainly of special interest.

Pottery Report, G10/85

Brief Catalogue of AA 22 D (6) amphoras:

P8078 Dressel 2 Stamp Ṛ ÆLIPOLLI / VANVS

P8079 Dressel 2 AMPLIATVS / CL ▵ CLADI ⇩

P8080 Dressel 2 Stamp as P8079.

P8081 Dressel 2 yellow buff, black inclusions.

P8082 imitation of Pélichet 47

P8083 shoulder of globular amphora, dipinto KO

P8084 Dressel 2 hard pink plain ware

near complete) P8085 Dressel 2 dark red gritty coarse ware

P8086 Pélichet 47 cream, 'plant pot' holes in base.

P8087 Dressel 2 red orange coarse ware

P8088 Dressel 2 red orange coarse ware, buff slip.

P8089 unidentified base of globular coarse amphora.

near complete) P8090 Dressel 2 yellow orange coarse ware with grog.

Area by Area Summaries:

AA 16 S (8B) 2nd ½ 2 B.C.

S (7) Repub. c. 200 B.C.

(1) 1/2 A.D., 5+(?) (combing)

S (2) 1/2 A.D.

S (3)

S (4) 1 B.C.(?)

S (5) 2 B.C., 1 B.C., 1 A.D.

X (1) 2/1 B.C.

X (4) 1 B.C.

X (5) 3/2/1 B.C. + 1/2 A.D.(?) (not clear)

X (6) undated c. 200 B.C.

S (6) "

AA 22 | C (2) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

C (3)

* (1) end 2/early 3 A.D.

D (2) end 2 A.D., 1 A.D.

D (3)

D (5) 2 A.D., mixed with Repub. CW, BG, etc.

* D (6) early 3 A.D. (see discussion in intro.)

NB : D (7) end 2/early 3 A.D.(?), lots Republican.

E (1) likely 2 A.D.

E (2)

* W (2) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

D (8) undated

AA 25

(1) 2 A.D.

BB 15

(1) end 2/early 3 A.D. + 1st ½ 1 A.D.

BB 17

(1) late 2/early 3 A.D. + 1 A.D.

F 153 (6) undated.

AC (2) late 2/early 3 A.D., 2 A.D., 1 A.D.

AC (3) late 2/early 3 A.D.

AC (4) " ;1 B.C.

D (1)

D (2) 1/2 A.D.

D (3) coin of Antoninus Pius. 2 B.C., 1st ½ 1 A.D. + 2nd ½ 2 A.D.

E (2)

F (2) end 2/early 3 A.D.

S (1) mid 2 B.C.

S (2) 5-7 A.D. (Forum ware); 1 A.D., 1 B.C.

G10/85 Pottery Report

BB 17, cont.

S (3)

3/2/1 B.B.

S (4)

U (2) end 2/early 3 A.D. + 1 A.D., 1 B.C.

U (5) late 1 B.C.

U (6) 4/3 B.C. + 1/2 A.D.(?)

X (3) late 2/early 3 A.D. + 1 A.D.

X (4) end 2 A.D., 1 A.D.

Y (3) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

Y (5) end 1 B.C., 3/2 B.C.

Y (6) end 1 B.C.

Y (4) mid 1 A.D.

BB 18

E (8) 2 A.D.(?); 1 A.D.

E (11) end 1 B.C.

* (1) 5-8 (Forum ware); late 2/early 3 A.D., 1st ½ 1 A.D.

AC (2) late 2/early 3 A.D.

AC (3) early 3 A.D. + 1st ½ 1/2 A.D.

AC (5)

AC (6) Augustan or 1st ½ 1 A.D.

AC (8) 2nd ½ 1 B.C. (Augustan)

AC (8) F100 1 A.D. (?)

E (2) late 2/early 3 A.D.

E (3) "

E (4) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

E (5) end 2 A.D./early 3 A.D.; Hellenistic.

(2) F140 mid 1 A.D.

P (6) 1st ½ 2 B.C., mid 1 A.D. (Claudian)?

T (2) 1 A.D.

T (4) 1/2 A.D.

T (5) mid 1 A.D.

T (6) coin of Claudius, 41 A.D. 1st ½ 1 A.D., some 2/1 B.C.

AC (11) mid 1 A.D.; 3/2 B.C., Augustan.

AC (12) c. 200 B.C.

AC (13) 4/3 B.C.

BB 19

F (2) undated

BB 24

(1) mid 1 A.D.

CC 15

C (1) end 2/early 3 A.D., 1 A.D.

*C (3) late 2/early 3 A.D. – N.B. WRONG DESIGNATION GIVEN TO POTTERY

C (4) Augustan

C (7) mid 1 B.C.

G10/85 Pottery Report, cont.

CC 16 | W (4) 2/1 B.C. (same pcs in (11))

(1) late 2/ early 3 A.D. Augustan, 3/2 B.C.

D (1)

V (1)

V (5b) generally 1 A.D. + dish, probably 3/2 B.C.

* V (7) 3, 2, 1 B.C.

V (9) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

V (10) 2/1 B.C.

V (11) 1 B.C.(?)

W (5) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

W (8) Augustan; l ate 2/early 3 A.D. coin of Trajan 104-111.

W (7) 2/1 B.C.

W (11) Augustan+, 2/1 B.C. (same pcs in (4)).

CC 17

(1)

F (1) late 2/early 3 A.D. + Repub. 2/1 B.C.

CC 24

(1) 1/2 A.D.

DD 15

(1) end 2 A.D.

C (1) end 2 A.D./1 A.D.

K (1) 1/2 A.D.

K (2) end 2 A.D.

K (3) F133 end 2/early 3 A.D. + 1/2 A.D.

K (4) 1 A.D.

K (5) late 2/early 3 A.D., 1 A.D.

* K (6) end 2 A.D., lots of 1 A.D.

K (7) Augustan, 2/1 B.C.

DD 16

D (1) undated

DD 17

(1) end 2 A.D.

G10/85 Pottery Report

EE 16

K (1) late 2/early 3 A.D.

K (6) undated, perhaps 2 A.D.

(6) Augustan, end 2/early 3 A.D., early 2 A.D.

(7) end 2/early 3 A.D., Augustan, 3 B.C.

EE 24

(1) 1st ½ 1 A.D., end 2/early 3 A.D.

(2) late 1 B.C.

EE 27

(1) 5 A.D.+ (combing), 1 A.D.

U 20

E (1) undated

W 15

A (1) 1st ½ 1 A.D.

W 20

(1) end 2/early 3 A.D.

X 16

Y (1) end 2/early 3 A.D.

X 21

(1) 2 A.D., modern/medieval?

(2) F142 4 A.D. (stick combing), mid 1 A.D.

(3) F142 undated

L (3) undated

S (2) late 2/early 3 A.D., 1st ½ 1 A.D.; 2/1 B.C.

Q (2) undated

| U (2) 1st ½ 1 A.D./mid 1 A.D.

F179 (2) 1/2 A.D.

| F180 (2) mid 1 A.D.

G10/85 Pottery Report

X 23

(1) end 2/early 3 A.D., mid 1 A.D.(?)

A (1) late 2/early 3 A.D.

B (2) end 2/early 3 A.D.

B (3) undated

B (4) end 2/early 3 A.D.; 2/1 B.C.

N (2) 2 A.D. + Augustan

P (2) 1/2 A.D.

P (5) 196

P (6) end 2/early 3 by ARS 196 (check)

F127 (2) late 2/early 3 A.D. + Hellenistic

P F127 (2) 196

Y 23

(1) end 2 A.D., early 3 A.D.

P (2) end 2 A.D./early 3 A.D.; 1 B.C.

Augustan, 2 B.C.

G (1) late 2/early 3 A.D.

| Dates earlier than destruction; pottery suggests area may have significance as a datable context.

The majority is overwhelmingly of the 1st ½ of the 1st c. A.D., essentially concentrated in Claudian circa. A very few items indicate end 2/early 3 – may be contamination from destruction? Stratigraphic ID. of layer needs discussion.